PG . 39
A BUSY MUM OF FOUR KIDS , SHIRALEE UNGER , WITH HER HUSBAND , JOHN , RUN 6000 ACRES OF WHEAT AND CANOLA CROPS AT PARKES , NSW . WITH A PASSION FOR LIVESTOCK , SHIRALEE STARTED RUNNING A FEW HEAD OF CATTLE . THAT SOLO VENTURE HELPED WITH HER HORSE TRAINING FEES AND BUYING FEED FOR HER STYLISH COWHORSE !
‘ It began with Madam Tassard ’
Early research had Shiralee scanning the AQHA site for Tassa Lena progeny . She found Madam Tassard Q-80669 . After calling Madam ’ s breeder , Madeline Cannon at Geurie , NSW , she went to look at the filly at Yeoval Show , NSW .
‘ Madam was cool and calm at the Agricultural show , not worried about a thing . I watched Madeline show Madam at Halter and then asked her if she ’ d sell her to me . However , Madeline told me was entered in the 2014 Landmark Sale , at the NCHA Futurity . I went to that Sale to purposely buy Madam . I asked Scott Johnson to take her home to his place and picked her up from there . Scott and Michael Johnson broke her in , then I sent her to Trent Smith to train for the 2017 NCHA Futurity . Madeline , and my daughter Rachael , sat with me to watch Madam ’ s run and with a score of 217.5 , she went Reserve Champion !’
ONE STYLISH MADAM Q-95820
‘ Style was an easy to handle foal , and is now , so special ! I believed in her dam , and I believed in Style . I headed to Phil Rodey ’ s for some horsemanship tips and he helped so much with Style , from catching her , to under saddle . I ’ m thankful this mare didn ’ t go to Nutrien Sales , as I ’ d entered her and had almost sent her .’
Later , Style went to Adam Wrobel . He worked to get Style moving forward freely , and said she could track and chase a cow , had a real good stop and was balanced from the start of her training . He taught her all 3 event phases and she took to it beautifully . Adam & Lisa loved the mare , and with her training , she ’ d become part of their family . Prior to the ARCHA Nationals , he ’ d showed her at a few events and said that she was just so strong .’
Shiralee says that Madam was a great mare , always digging deep and giving her all , even after they discovered she ’ d pulled a shoulder muscle , and had ulcers .
‘ With treatment she gave her all at the next three Futurities . After the 2017 Futurity , we almost lost her due to a leg infection — I was heading to the USA at the time — I said to my vet ‘ Please save this mare !’ Thankfully , he did . If not , I wouldn ’ t have Style !
With Madam ’ s winnings Shiralee bred three embryo-transfer foals , one of which was One Stylish Madam , by Pepto Stylish Oak . The other foals were a black colt , by Pepto Stylish Oak , and a filly by Moore Metal , the colt that Trent Smith won the 2016 NCHA Futurity on .
2023 AQHA YEARBOOK ~ MAY / JUNE ISSUE